Overview

Armed with cutting-edge weaponry, including an experimental pulse rifle that’s capable of firing spirals of high-powered Helix Rockets, Soldier: 76 has the speed and support know-how of a highly trained warrior.

The weapon is the most accurate for the first three shots, encouraging the player to fire it in short bursts rather than continuous stream. Spread recovery has a short delay.

Video

Helix Rockets

Ability

Icon

Stats

Official Description

Type

Linear Splash Projectile

Damage

Direct hit: 120Splash: 80Self: 40

Projectile speed

50 meters per second

Area of effect

2 meters

Cooldown

8 seconds

Headshot

✕

Tiny rockets spiral out of Soldier: 76’s Pulse Rifle in a single burst. The rockets’ explosion damages enemies in a small radius.

Details

Video

Sprint

Ability

Icon

Stats

Official Description

Movement speed

8.33 meters per second

Duration

Until cancelled

Whether he needs to evade a firefight or get back into one, Soldier: 76 can rush ahead in a burst of speed. His sprint ends if he takes an action other than charging forward.

Details

Despite the description, Soldier: 76 can deploy the Biotic Field while Sprinting.

The activation of the ability can be customized between holding the button and toggling with a single press.

Video

Biotic Field

Ability

Icon

Stats

Official Description

Healing

40.8 health per second
204 health over entire duration

Area of effect

5 meters

Duration

5 seconds

Cooldown

15 seconds

Soldier: 76 plants a biotic emitter on the ground. Its energy projection restores health to 76 and any of his squadmates within the field.

Details

The field cannot be destroyed by enemies.

Use of multiple fields doesn't stack.

It can be deflected by Genji for the brief moment after activating.

Video

Tactical Visor

Ultimate

Icon

Stats

Official Description

Reload time

0.75 seconds

Casting time

1.4 seconds

Duration

6 seconds

Charge required

2062.5

Soldier: 76’s pinpoint targeting visor “locks” his aim on the threat closest to his crosshairs. If an enemy leaves his line of sight, Soldier: 76 can quickly switch to another target.

Details

Soldier: 76 passively generates 1% Ult Charge every 4.125 seconds.

Soldier: 76 is not capable of dealing headshots while Tactical Visor is active.

Helix Rockets aim automatically, but do not change trajectory after they are shot.

Video

Strategy

Soldier: 76 is the most well-rounded of the Offense heroes. He's able to deal both sustained and burst damage at any range, move quickly across the battlefield, and support both himself and his team through the use of Biotic Field. His downsides are a lack of any real specialization with his weapons or abilities, no vertical movement, and a less impactful Ultimate when compared to other Assault heroes. He's a simple hero to learn to play, but a difficult one to master, making him a great pick for new players and veterans alike.

Weapons & Abilities

Heavy Pulse Rifle: 76's primary weapon. The Heavy Pulse Rifle shoots a stream of hitscan bullets, with the cone of fire increasing the longer the primary fire button is held down. The cone of fire instantly resets when the primary fire button is released.

Fire in bursts when not shooting point blank. The first three rounds he fires have zero spread (perfect accuracy), but keep in mind that in each new burst thereafter, only the first round has zero spread. Watch your crosshair, and adapt your fire control to your target for maximum effectiveness.

Helix Rocket: When activated, 76 fires a cluster of rockets from his Heavy Pulse Rifle. These rockets act as a single projectile, exploding when they hit an enemy or a solid surface. A direct hit on an enemy with the rockets will deal more damage than the explosion by itself. The explosion will damage 76.

Helix Rocket can be used to deal burst damage, killing an enemy before they can escape or use an ability.

If you're unsure of your aim, or are against an evasive opponent, fire Helix Rocket at your enemy's feet instead of directly at them. This will ensure that the explosion damages them, even if you can't directly hit them with the rockets.

Only use Helix Rocket at close range if you have high Health, as the explosion could end up killing you if your health is too low.

Sprint: When activated, 76 will begin to sprint, increasing his movement speed. 76 cannot fire his weapons while sprinting. Using an ability, reactivating Sprint, or stopping will end Sprint.

Sprint is an incredibly versatile ability. Use it to move between cover, chase after fleeing opponents, race to get to a Health Pack, or to get back to the fight after respawning.

Biotic Field: When activated, 76 will drop down a Biotic Field. The Field will rapidly regenerate the Health of 76 or any allies standing in the Field's area of effect. The Field only lasts for a few seconds before disappearing.

Biotic Field has a small animation when activated. This animation will interrupt 76's reload animation. Try to use it either before or after reloading.

Biotic Field will attach to and travel with the Payload.

Biotic Field will only apply its heal if 76/an ally is within line of sight of the center of the Biotic Field.

Tactical Visor (Ultimate): 76's Ultimate ability. When activated, 76 gains a special crosshair that lasts for several seconds. All of the shots from his Heavy Pulse Rifle will automatically hit the enemy that is closest to the center of these crosshairs. In addition, his Heavy Pulse Rifle reloads faster for the duration.

Tactical Visor is a deceptively powerful ability, allowing 76 to hit highly evasive targets like Tracer or Genji with perfect accuracy. Use Tactical Visor when facing them to net yourself a quick kill.

As Tactical Visor works like you firing normal attack, the falloff damage is working on this point. Even if you have the perfect accuracy that be able to track the enemies, you will deal lower damage when you are outside of the effective range of Pulse Rifle.

Because Tactical Visor gives you perfect accuracy, you can spend more time focusing on dodging enemy attacks while it's active.

General Strategies

A reliable source of steady damage, a dependable AoE heal, and an occasional powerful burst make Soldier: 76 the very definition of frontline presence and assault. Alongside a Reinhardt or any other frontline hero, 76 can push or protect objectives with relative ease by mowing down anyone in his path, all while pressuring snipers and Pharahs.

Soldier: 76 is a great addition to any team. His lack of guaranteed escape tools makes him less effective at flanking than heroes like Genji, Tracer, or Reaper. He therefore tends to serve his team best by staying with them and helping them out with suppressive fire from his Heavy Pulse Rifle, and healing with his Biotic Field.

Soldier: 76 does his best work when he assails from a defensible position on high ground, ensuring that powerful close-range heroes can't easily reach him, giving him cover from return fire, and allowing him to more easily aim his Helix Rockets.

Soldier can occasionally branch off from his team and attack from a separate position, using his Biotic Field to sustain him, if it means finding a good vantage point from high ground. Be ready to Sprint back to the safety of your team if someone comes to deal with you, however, as Soldier does poorly in close-range engagements, and the distraction alone can sometimes be enough for his team to make gains -- but not if Soldier dies, where the loss of his damage will be sorely felt.

Adjust the rate you fire your Heavy Pulse Rifle depending on the range you're fighting at. Use fully automatic fire when fighting up close and at medium range, and fire in three-round bursts at long range, exploiting the Heavy Pulse Rifle's perfect accuracy for its first 3 shots in a burst.

Get into the habit of using Sprint whenever you're not in combat, as it gives you a big mobility advantage over many of the heroes in the game. You can Sprint indefinitely, so don't worry about overusing it.

Drop Biotic Field at the start of a fight to give yourself constant healing. This can give you a big Health advantage, especially when facing multiple opponents.

Helix Rocket can deal heavy damage if it directly hits an enemy. Try to bait your opponent around a corner and then fire the Rocket when they turn it.

While Tactical Visor can be a powerful Ultimate, keep in mind that it doesn't make your shots any more damaging than normal. Barriers will still block your bullets, and enemies will still take the same amount of damage to kill as before. It's best to use it on enemies who are distracted by another member of your team like Reinhardt or Winston, allowing you to fire with impunity. Take advantage of the perfect accuracy it provides by keeping your distance from the enemy team, making it harder for them to hit you.

Tactical Visor will always aim towards the body of whoever is targeted, preventing headshots on the majority of heroes. It's best to use Tactical Visor on smaller, more agile opponents like Tracer or Pharah, rather than on Tanks like Winston, since you can deal more damage by aiming at their large heads manually.

Tactical Visor fully reloads Soldier's gun, so if you run out of ammo, you can use it to keep pressing your attack. It can be a good idea to lay down a hail of fire to weaken your foes before using Tactical Visor's free reload to continue your assault, but first ensure it hasn't scared them all into cover, where Tactical Visor will be of no help. Additionally, note that Tactical Visor immediately presents yourself as a prominent target, so using the element of surprise and engaging enemies at longer ranges is generally superior to rushing into close quarters and firing indiscriminately.

Story

"We're all soldiers now."

Jack Morrison grew up in rural Indiana. The young Morrison has been described in many different ways. He was a rambunctious youth. A humble, salt-of-the-earth farmer's son. But those asked all agree that Morrison was never destined to live out his days in the land of rolling plains and deep blue skies.[2]

Omnic Crisis

“

Even I had my doubts about whether Overwatch would succeed, but Morrison never gave up hope. He didn't just meet our expectations for what Overwatch and its agents could achieve; he shattered them.

At eighteen, Morrison packed his bags and joined the military in response to the Omnic Crisis breaking out across America.[3] He had planned to serve a brief stint in the armed forces and then return home to the family farm, but his work ethic and courage caught the eye of the military brass. Before long, he earned a coveted position in the government's controversial and still-classified (but widely acknowledged) "soldier enhancement program." Military scientists shaped Morrison and other inductees into the perfect soldiers, blessed with superhuman speed, strength, and agility.[2]

Morrison during the Omnic Crisis

Morrison and his fellow augmented soldiers would soon put their abilities to use as the United States was devastated by the conflict. As governments tried and failed to neutralize the omnics, the United Nations was busy forming an international task force called Overwatch. This small, experimental group would bring together the best and brightest from around the world to wage asymmetrical warfare against the robots. Overwatch's short list of prospective agents included two members of the soldier enhancement program: Morrison and Gabriel Reyes, a senior officer. Reyes and Morrison became fast friends, despite their different backgrounds, and decided to join Overwatch together. Leadership of Overwatch fell to Reyes, but Morrison would have a greater impact on the group in the long term. He brought out the best in the people around him and helped mold Overwatch's diverse (and sometimes conflicting) agents into a cohesive fighting force. In unity, they found the strength to defeat the robots and end the Omnic Crisis.[2]

Post-Omnic Crisis

The UN rewarded Morrison for his contributions by making him Overwatch's first official commander. Reyes was passed over in the process, and it created a rift between the two men that would lead to tragic consequences. After the Omnic Crisis, Overwatch experienced a meteoric rise in prominence. New funding and resources gave the now-public organization far-reaching global influence. The world celebrated Overwatch's agents as heroes, but none more so than Morrison. He became the face of Overwatch, a symbol of hope and promise, from the cobblestone streets of King's Row to the sweltering night markets of Bangkok. Morrison envisioned a bright new future for humanity. Under his leadership, Overwatch served as a global peacekeeping force and an engine for innovation, making advances in scientific fields as varied as space exploration and medical research. But even as Overwatch grew in power, Morrison stayed dedicated to the people around him. He trained new agents, instilling in them Overwatch's noble goals and ideals.[2] At some point he was stationed at Watchpoint: Gibraltar.[4]

The Oslo Incident

“

Overwatch will not rest until the ones behind this attack are brought to justice.

„

~ Morrison in a press statement

Morrison during the Oslo incident

Eight years before the present day, Overwatch's Oslo facilities were attacked. Overwatch launched an investigation, and Morrison spoke to the press. He stated that it was too early to identify the perpetrators, but assured them that Overwatch would not rest until they were brought to justice. He confirmed that Overwatch had identified a number of suspects, but declined to provide further details.[5]

Retribution

“

You sure you want to hear about this Jack?You haven't left me much choice.Whatever happened to plausible deniability?Little late for that.

„

~ Reyes and Morrison in the debriefing

Overwatch soon identified a businessman named Antonio as the one responsible for the Oslo attack. He was affiliated with Talon and had a base in Venice. Not long after that, the Blackwatch Rome facility was destroyed in another Talon strike, one which claimed the lives of numerous personnel and severely injured Gérard Lacroix. Morrison told Reyes that he'd open an official investigation with the Italian government, and do it "by the book." As Reyes pointed out, "by the book" was no longer working. Besides, given Antonio's connections with government officials, he'd be able to weasel out of any legal action brought against him. Reyes wanted to bring Antonio in for questioning, but Morrison pointed out that violating a nation's sovereignty would erode the trust the public placed in them. He left the decision to Reyes, but asked him to consider whether apprehending Antonio would help Overwatch in the long run.[6]

Morrison debriefs Reyes

Reyes led his team on a covert mission to infiltrate Antonio's manor. In the process, Reyes killed Antonio, and he and his team had to fight their way out.[7] Morrison was incensed by Reyes's actions;[8] the attack was reported in the press, and the existence of Blackwatch had been made public. Reyes was debriefed by Morrison, Ana Amari, and a recovered Lacroix.[7] Morrison grilled Reyes in the debriefing, demanding to know what had actually happened. Reyes snidely responded to Morrison's demands, but nonetheless recounted the Rialto mission.[8] In his debrief, he pointed out that things don't always go according to plan, and stood by the decisions he had made.[9] Morrison later interrogated McCree on the incident, asking if there was anything he wanted to add.[8]

Uprising

“

You think we should get involved.I didn't say that. But in the end, it should be our choice. Your choice.

„

~ Jack and Ana

Morrison weighs his options

Seven years before the present day, Morrison faced an increasing public relations nightmare. During a briefing in the Overwatch Headquarters on the 27th day of the King's Row Uprising, Morrison learned that Reyes had Blackwatch agent McCree on the ground in London, where the uprising was occurring; despite orders from the prime minister of England expressively forbidding any Overwatch interference. Jack questioned Reyes if he had any other operatives on the ground, only to be sarcastically brushed off by Reyes. In truth, Morrision wanted to end the crisis in London, but felt tied down by bureaucracy and increasing pressures calling for new leadership. It was not until Cadet Lena Oxton, who Morrision took a special interest in provided Morrison a stirring speech declaring her belief in Overwatch and its mission that Morrison decided to authorize an unsanctioned mission to London to end the conflict.[3] He warned the operatives he sent that the uprising could lead to open war.[10]

The End of Overwatch

The public turns on Morrison

Decades after the Omnic Crisis, Overwatch was shaken by a series of allegations, and its agents became targets of derision for the media. Morrison did his best to hold Overwatch together, but he was facing an internal rebellion led by Reyes, whose motives were unknown, but remained bitter that Morrison had been given the position of Overwatch's commander, and the rift that had started there had grown ever since. One year before Overwatch's disbandment, Morrison and Reyes came to blows at Overwatch's Swiss HQ. At some point, their fighting triggered an explosion that destroyed the facility.[2]

Posthumous

“

He devoted everything he was to Overwatch. He was our moral compass. Our inspiration. Our friend.

Morrison was supposedly buried at Arlington National Cemetery. Reinhardt Wilhelm, one of Overwatch's original members, spoke highly of him at his funeral. Statues of him continue to be frequented. In truth, however, Morrison's body was never recovered.[2] He considered the blast the fault of his enemies, and reflected how they believed him dead. A truth, but in his mind, part of him did die that day.[11]

Resurgence

“

He was a professional. Confident. Surgical. Had all the hallmarks of someone with advanced military training.

„

~ An HSI guard on Morrison's intrusion

Morrison, now "Soldier: 76"

Five years after the end of Overwatch,[12] a series of attacks was made on financial institutions, shadowy corporations,[13] and former Overwatch facilities, all carried out by an unidentified male called "Soldier: 76."[14] in each case where he stole some Overwatch tech. This included Watchpoint: Grand Mesa, where he stole a pulse rifle. Helix Security International personnel attempted to engage him, but 76 escaped apprehension. None of the personnel were killed, though some were treated for non-threatening injuries. One of them stated (under conditions of anonymity) that the assailant possessed strength and speed beyond anything a normal person should possess, and that he likely had military training. The United States turned its attention to apprehending him,[15] and indeed, Soldier: 76 became the target of an international manhunt.

In truth, Soldier: 76 was Jack Morrison. Thanks to his raids, Morrison was now equipped with an arsenal of cutting-edge technology. Here, he used it to wage his personal war to expose the truth behind Overwatch's collapse: to find those responsible, and bring them to justice.[13]

Further Actions

Note: The following events aren't necessarily in chronological order.

Bank Heist

Morrison foils the bank heist

At some point after getting his equipment, Morrison helped foil a heist.[16]

Hero

Reports were made that Morrison, still known as "Soldier: 76," was seen in Dorado. This was in the aftermath of his string of attacks within the US, and it was speculated that he had crossed the border into Mexico. A reward of $10,000,000 was offered for any information leading to his capture.[17]

They were reports that were accurate, for within Dorado, Morrison engaged Los Muertos members. He quickly gained the upperhand and forced the thugs to retreat. He tried to pursue, but one of their number lobbed a grenade at a young girl who'd been caught up in the fighting. Torn between the options of pursuit or saving her, Morrison chose the latter, shielding her from the blast and emerging relatively unscathed. With Los Muertos gone, he told her to head home. As he departed into the shadows, she revealed that she recognised him as one of the heroes (of Overwatch) that her mother had told her about. Morrison replied that he wasn't a hero anymore, but she disagreed. Although it appeared that he had simply left, Morrison secretly watched over her from above, making sure she returned home safely to her mother.[18]

Old Soldiers

“

This is my war, Ana. And you've given it up, or else you'd have told me you were still alive.

„

~ Jack Morrison

Morrison reunites with Ana

Morrison headed to Egypt to track down a lead on a bounty hunter that had been causing Talon some problems. He knew that the bounty hunter was Ana Amari, and he intended to recruit her. At Giza, he was given what limited information a man named Hakim had on the target. When his contact turned on him, he incapacitated the man, and headed to Hakim's compound. Listening in via a guard's radio, he heard the voice of Gabriel Reyes on the other side. He vaulted the compound's wall, incapacitating another guard, and demanded to know where Reyes was. Reyes turned up, now the individual known as Reaper, and took Morrison by surprise, shooting him in the back. However, before Reyes could finish Morrison off, he was shot at by Ana, who managed to heal Morrison through her biotic rifle. Morrison and Reyes engaged in a fist-fight, and while Reyes was able to again best him, his confrontation with Ana prompted him to retreat.

The reunion between Ana and Morrison was strained—the latter was agrieved that she hadn't contacted him to let her know that she was still alive, the former possessing little interest in Morrison's personal war. Nonetheless, Ana agreed to help him, but asked what Morrison would do when the fighting was over. Morrison responded that he was a soldier, and that his war would never end.[19]

Reflections

Ana and Jack

After reuniting in Egypt, Ana and Morrison spent Christmas together.[20]

Achievements

Name

Icon

Description

Reward

Rocket Man

Get 2 killing blows with a single use of Soldier: 76's Helix Rockets in Quick or Competitive play.

Pixel

Target Rich Environment

Kill 4 enemies with a single use of Soldier: 76's Tactical Visor in Quick or Competitive play.

Trivia

Morrison was originally a fan of Westerns...at least until he met Jesse McCree.[23]

"Dad Soldier: 76" is a popular fan reinterpretation of the character, depicting him as an individual struggling to control children (younger versions of Overwatch characters). Tatasciore himself is reciprocal to the meme, stating "he's definitely a father figure...I totally get it. I see him as that too, and that's one of the most moving parts of him. Even if you're a soldier on his team, he's going to try and teach you. Even if you're fighting him, he'll say, "You got to learn differently." He is a protector, and he will watch over everyone, and he's trying."[24]

As of September 2016, Soldier: 76 is the most widely played hero in the game.[25]

A "Cute but Deadly" Soldier: 76 figure is available for purchase from the Blizzard Store.[26]

Development

Soldier: 76 was designed using a top-down approach, where developers started with the flavor/story/art side of the subject and built mechanics around it. The original concept was pitched by Chris Metzen, and the team instantly got onboard. From there, lead concept artist Arnold Tsang, Metzen and art director Bill Petras worked together to finalize a character concept. By this stage, the developers had the idea of making 76 a "normal rifle guy," in regards to his gameplay style. Few problems were encountered during development, and only his heal ability changed.[27] It was intended that he be easy for players from other FPS games to play, allowing them to ease into Overwatch before moving onto more exotic heroes.[25] Metzen leveraged Soldier: 76 as a "fulcrum point" of the story/setting. He is said to represent Overwatch at its greatest.[28]

Morrison's visual design differs from his initial appearance during and after the Omnic Crisis, and how he appears in the game itself. This was intentional on the developers' part, as they wanted his visual design to reflect how his state of mind has changed over the years.[27]

Soldier: 76 was a comic book series concept by Chris Metzen. Morrison's design was inspired by the title character—Metzen wanted to see what the development team would do with the character. Morrison shares a lot of broad themes and motivations with the comic character, but the details of the characters' lives differ greatly.[27]

Soldier: 76 comic pitch

The American dream has become a nightmare.

A dramatic rise in terrorist attacks executed on US soil erodes national confidence in the Federal Government’s ability to maintain order and security throughout the country. Extremist militant groups, both foreign and domestic, strike at US holdings with seeming impunity. The Federal Government’s inability to directly counter these threats begins to chip away at the cornerstones of national unity.

The seditious debate over how to respond forcefully to the rising crisis begins to fracture the tentative fraternity between the Federal and State Governments. The increasingly sensationalist media-bloc fans the flames of public paranoia and discontent.

Violence reaches a boiling point on both coasts as various ethnic and special interest groups are blamed for society’s rapid disintegration. The tenuous public conscience finally snaps as race riots, violent anti-Federal demonstrations and outright urban warfare erupt throughout the nation’s major population centers.

Local governments, unable to stem the tide of the growing anarchy, turn to the Federal Government for a final solution. Martial Law is instated across the land as Federal armed forces move in and quickly take control of thirteen eastern states. The massive police action quickly spirals out of control as numerous guerilla militias rise up to spread terror and destruction up and down the East Coast.

Outraged by this unprecedented Federal action, and driven to circumvent similar events in their own territories, a number of central and western states declare their intentions to secede from the union. In a final bid to keep the nation from fracturing any further, the Federal Government sends its troops into the heartland of America to restore order at any cost.

The Second American Civil War has begun…

Essentially, the character – S:76 – is an old super soldier (there was a whole series of them - though the term ‘super soldier’ will likely NEVER be used). These guys had special micro-chips implanted in their brain stems that regulate their autonomic systems – giving them sporadic boosts of speed, endurance, aggression and strength. Anyway, 76 was left behind on a botched assassination mission over thirty years ago. Wounded and alone he has wandered the seedy back-alleys of South America as an amnesiac ever since. The government has presumed him dead all these years.

While he was away – America devolved into a war-zone. The nation (for a number of reasons – rampant domestic terrorism being a biggie) lost all sense of itself as the Second American Civil War erupted between the Federal controlled east and a loose conflagration of western states. The country is in chaos. Race riots and worse are erupting in every major population center. Things are not good.

As fate would have it, our hero finds his way home to a very different America than he knew. Still suffering from amnesia, he must attempt to come to terms with his shadowed past in order to chose the right side to fight for.

The series is being painted by Brazilian artist, Max Velati, with me writing the script. We’re cranking away, so I hope to start sending this thing out for solicitation pretty soon.

For a sneak peek – you guys can check out the short story Soldier: 76: The Vigil I did with artist Greg Scott in Digital Webbing Presents issue #16 (on sale a few months back). Below, I’ve also included a sketch page Greg did of 76 as we were jamming on the story!

Well, I hope y’all dig the concept! Let me know what ya’ think! Happy Holidays everyone! Let’s tip a few back in honor of the 1st birthday of Sons of the Storm!!! - Metzen[29]

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